Good afternoon,
This letter was mailed home today to all households. We also mailed a copy of the school calendar and open house/conference schedule.
Dr. Tynan
August 24, 2021
Greetings Nowlin School Families,
I just wanted to take a quick moment and welcome our new families and our returning families. I hope that each and everyone of you had a relaxing, fun summer. The summer seems to have passed extremely quickly this year but we are ready and excited to start off a fresh, new school year.
In order to successfully meet the needs of our students, several teachers have “looped” with their students in order to decrease the “getting to know you” period and increase the learning opportunities.
We have several new staff ranging from secretaries to special area teachers. Please take a moment to meet them when the opportunity arises as well as please be patient with any learning curves we may experience.
We are looking for three noon hour supervisors. If you are interested in a part-time position (2 hours per day) that is close to home please contact our office.
A few reminders:
- School starts on August 30th and it will be a half day for all students, dismissal 12:05 pm.
- August 31st will be the first full day.
- Class lists will be posted on the afternoon of Friday the 27h.
- Kindergarten has half days from August 30th-September 10th. Lunch will be provided.
Additionally, we have several areas of focus this year which include, but are not limited too:
- Districtwide implementation of accelerated learning to assist with learning loss due to COVID.
- Building Wide focus on increased literacy with a continued underlying focus on informational text and consisted vocabulary usage.
- Building Wide focus on students taking responsibility for their learning.
- Building Wide focus on students’ social emotional well being.
As always I look forward to working collaboratively with each and everyone of you to ensure that our students have a strong foundation of academics and social-emotional skills so that they may one day grow into socially conscious and successful adults.
As a reminder my door is always open. Please do not hesitate to stop by, to email or to pick up the phone. The best way for us to be successful is to have a strong, trusting relationship with you. Again, I look forward to another successful school year.
Sincerely,
Joshua Tynan, PhD
Principal
313-827-6900
tynanj@dearbornschools.org
Masks
The district is requiring masks inside our buildings for all students, staff and visitors at least until Oct 1. Administrators will continue to monitor local conditions and consult with the Wayne County Health Department to determine if the mask mandate will be extended beyond Oct. 1.
On Aug.13, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released guidelines that said “Schools should mandate universal masking for students, staff, teachers and visitors.” However, the department stopped short of requiring masks. Wayne County Health Department also encouraged schools to require masks in an advisory issued Aug. 17.
School districts have the authority to set their own policies regarding mask requirements.
Dearborn has required face masks inside of school buildings since September 2020.
Masks are optional outside of the buildings. Inside buildings, masks can be removed in certain circumstances such as while someone is eating or drinking or if an employee is working alone in an office or more than six feet from another staff member.
Buses
Per MIOSHA, face masks are required on school buses. Hand sanitizer will be available as students board the bus.
Vaccines
We strongly encourage all of those eligible to receive a COVID vaccine to do so. However, COVID vaccines are not required for students or staff at this time.
Drinking fountains
Drinking fountains will be available to students, with touch points disinfected frequently. Filtered water bottle filling stations are also available in every school.
Cleaning
The district will continue to disinfect high-touch points areas at least once a day.
Social distancing
As recommended, we will strive to maintain at least three feet of distance between students in classrooms. Seating charts will be used to be able to limit and track potential exposure to viruses. Dearborn Public Schools has some of the lowest class sizes for public schools which will help in maintaining physical distance.
Large indoor gatherings of students and staff, if any, will be limited to half of the capacity for that room, i.e. auditorium or gym, to allow for social distancing.
Screening tools
Parents are reminded to keep children home if they are ill, even for non-COVID symptoms like vomiting. Please see our When To Keep Children Home flyer.
COVID screening forms are still available on the district website for families and staff, but parents are no longer required to screen children before they come to school each day.
Borrowed Chromebooks
For now, students can hold onto the Chromebooks they borrowed from the district as long as they continue to be a Dearborn Public Schools student. Students may be asked to bring their district Chromebooks to school with them during online testing this fall. Students who have graduated or are transferring out of the district are asked to return the Chromebooks.
School meals
The district will again be providing most kindergarten to 12th grade students with the option for free lunch and breakfast at school. Students will have assigned seating at lunch to minimize potential close contacts.
Building permits
Outside groups are again allowed to request use of school buildings and facilities. Any group must abide by the district’s safety protocols in place at that time.